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National Express West Midlands routes 370 and 370A
The 370 and 370A are two National Express West Midlands bus services in the West Midlands, England. The services all link Walsall with theBeechdale Estate, with the 370 extending to Bloxwich via Dudley Fields. History Beechdale Estate was a new coucil housing development in the mid 1950's. To service this development Walsall Corporation trolleybus service 40 was introduced in 1955 operating from Walsall (Town End Bank). Originally the destination was displayed as "GYPSY LANE ESTATE" (referring to a road named Gypsy Lane in the area, since renamed Leamore Lane). This description proved unpopular with local residents and "BEECHDALE ESTATE" was soon introduced instead. The original 1955 trolleybus service terminated just north of Stephenson Square in a clockwise loop. In 1961 the service was renumbered 33 and the route was extended as a circular service via Dudleys Fields Estate, Bloxwich and Leamore back to Walsall. In September 1963 a route extension along Bloxwich Lane to Cavendish Road was introduced, being Walsall's last trolleybus route extension. In 1967 a new one way system was introduced in the centre of Walsall and the Walsall terminus was moved from Town End Bank to Town End Street. In 1970 trolleybuses were replaced by motorbuses on this route by West Midlands Passenger Transport Execeutive which had taken over Walsall Corporation Transport on 1 October 1969. When these services were converted to one man operation in the mid 1970's the use of service number 33 for all variations of these routes was superseded by the following three new route numbers :- 333 Walsall - Leamore - Bloxwich - Dudleys Fields - Beechdale - Walsall 334 (reverse of service 333) 335 Walsall - Beechdale - Bloxwich Lane / Cavendish Road The above service numbers became redundant after 25 October 1986 when service numbers 370 and 371 replaced services 333, 334 and 335. The new 370 and 371 services all operated by Stephenson Square, Cavendish Road and Bloxwich Lane, leaving the northern part of Stephenson Avenue unserved by buses except by a short-lived Chaserider (Midland Red North) "Midlands Express" service to and from Birmingham via Walsall (service number X1). About half the journeys on service X1 extended beyond Beechdale Estate to Cannock,the other journeys terminating on the northern part of Stephenson Avenue. Previously two circular services operated, the 370 and the 371. The 370 provided a clockwise circular from Walsall - Beechdale - Bloxwich - Leamore - Walsall, whilst the 371 did the reverse. The 370A also operated additional, less frequent trips to Beechdale along its current route. In July 2007 the 371 was combined into the 370 timetable so that they no longer served Leamore, whilst the frequency of the 370 was increased. Present Currently the 370 and 370A follow the same route up until Beechdale. Here the 370A circles through the estate to return back to Walsall, whilst the 370 drives through the estate to continue on to Bloxwich. Combined the two services, which operate using branded 'Beechdale' buses give a combined peak time frequency of 7 - 8 minutes to Beechdale. Current route Service 370 *Walsall *Sainsbury's Reedswood *Beechdale *Dudley Fields *Bloxwich Service 370A *Walsall *Sainsbury's Reedswood *Beechdale *Sainsbury's Reedswood *Walsall 370 Category:Transport in Walsall